This month's issue opens with an interesting commentary by Michael Emerson on energy security: he recommends a tripartite gas consortium in Ukraine, arguing

the project would create political synergies between the EU, Russia and the common neighbourhood of which Ukraine is the core. This would be signaling a switch of paradigm in the affairs of the wider Europe. It would be a step away from the competition for primacy over spheres of influence between the EU and Russia in their common neighbourhood, towards a cooperative regime with synergetic benefits for all parties. The EU typically argues that it does not want a primitive geopolitical competition over its Eastern neighbourhood, and yearns for a more enlightened and inclusive pan-European order. It has not been doing so well in achieving this. Here is a concrete chance to take a major step in the desired direction.